Hansel & Gretel: Theatre promises a sweet musical treat

Dean Poling, The Valdosta Daily Times, Ga.
·3 min read

Sep. 22—VALDOSTA — Theatre Guild Valdosta hopes another musical fairy tale spoof will have success similar to the sold-out performances of its season-opening show, "Shrek."

This weekend, Gingerbread Players of Theatre Guild Valdosta opens "The Story of Hansel & Gretel," by Vera Morris, book, and Bill Francoeur, music and lyrics.

Gingerbread Players is the TGV children's theatre program.

The show includes Kamron Wooten, who played Donkey in "Shrek," as the Witch in "Hansel & Gretel."

Dana Welch created the memorable dragon in "Shrek" and creates a delicious-looking candy/gingerbread house and other set pieces for "Hansel & Gretel."

Kamari Samuels, one of the "Shrek" choreographers, is the choreographer for "Hansel & Gretel."

Pauline Player, show director, said the production has the expected storyline of "Hansel & Gretel," including the candy/gingerbread house, the witch and the oven. But it also includes several songs and plenty of humor.

Theatre Guild shares a Pioneer Drama Service synopsis of the show: "Sent into the woods, Hansel and Gretel meet up with a number of peculiar characters. A fiery troll guards his little wooden bridge. Even more, an articulate owl, a forest sprite and two hobgoblins are in the service of an evil (but extremely funny) witch. She locks poor Hansel in a cage and feeds him nothing but cake. Will Gretel be able to outwit the crone and set free all the children who have been turned into cookies? Every dramatic moment is brought to life, from the night spent in the woods to the discovery of the candy-coated little cottage."

As with more recent Gingerbread Players shows, the cast is a mix of children and adults. Player said the show includes several teenagers in prime creative roles as part of the production team.

Player said she feels a responsibility to teach a new generation about the backstage work involved in producing a play or musical.

"It's all about teaching a younger generation so this will continue in years to come," Player said sitting in The Dosta Playhouse, the longtime downtown home of Theatre Guild Valdosta.

THE CAST: Lane Smith, Riley Browning, Qian Wilson, Lyanah Wilson, Addilyn Presley, Kristina Latham, Taylor Sharfner, Kamron Wooten, Tasha Conrad, Caleb Andres, Tanner Hager, Harmony Cantu, Kenya Shakir, Jayden Weishaupt, Trey Brown, Ezra Barton, Lydia Barton, Blake Carnline, Dot Gatchell, Wyatt Rogers, Kylah Wilson, Kamari Samuels.

DIRECTION, PRODUCTION: Pauline Player, director; Pam Barton, musical director; Brawdy Gupton, assistant director; Isaac Darflinger, junior director; Dalton Bell, stage manager; June Bell & Ben Hawley, producers; Kamari Samuels, choreographer; Dana Welch, set design; Mary Ann Green, Linda Stikkel, Pam xqBarton, Alijah Patterson, Dana Welch, Dena Rogers, Pauline Player, Dalton Bell, Isabel Williams, Brawdy Gupton, costumes; Harley Stone, Dallas Stone, Dana Welch, Anna Swenson, Whitney Singletary, Tabitha Weishaupt, Nicole Presley, Katrina Rogers, Ben Hawley, June Bell, Imani Barnes, props; Brock Gilliard, Patti Robertson, Sophie Buehrer, light design; Sophie Buehrer, light board; Sunny Lee, Edward Wilson, sound board; Jeremiah Wilson, curtain; Dana Welch, Mark Welch, Dena Rogers, Isabel Williams, Grace Ann Watson, David Bass, Harley Stone, Dallas Stone, Imani Barnes, Whitney Singletary, Ben Hawley, June Bell, Katrina Jaxton, McKinsey Rogers, set construction.

Gingerbread Players of Theatre Guild Valdosta presents "The Story of Hansel & Gretel," 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23-24; 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25; 7:30 p.m., Sept. 30, Oct. 1; 2 p.m., Oct. 2, The Dosta Playhouse, 122 N. Ashley St. More information: Visit theatreguildvaldosta.com or call (229) 247-8243.